Small Business Relief Fund

The LA Region Small Business Relief Fund is a localized grant initiative jointly launched by the County and City of Los Angeles alongside community partners. Its primary goal is to provide targeted financial support to small businesses and nonprofits significantly impacted by the destructive windstorm and wildfires that began on January 7, 2025. This program was developed in response to the urgent needs of the local economy, aiming to stabilize operations, preserve jobs, and promote recovery in the wake of environmental disasters. Managed through a collaborative framework involving the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity and supported by organizations such as SoCal Grantmakers and AidKit, the fund reflects a community-oriented strategy to bolster economic resilience. Eligible applicants include small businesses and nonprofits headquartered within Los Angeles County that were actively operating in areas classified as Fire Zones, Evacuation Order Level 3 Zones, or Evacuation Warning Level 2 Zones during the disaster period. Businesses must be independently owned, have no more than 100 employees, and maintain average annual gross receipts of $6 million or less. Nonprofits must be social service providers with valid 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(19) tax status and serve low-to-moderate income communities. Applicants must be in good standing with all relevant taxing and licensing authorities. The business owner must be the majority owner and operator for businesses, while nonprofit applicants must be the Executive Officer or President. Funding tiers vary by type of applicant and severity of impact. For brick-and-mortar establishments, grant amounts are set at $25,000 for fully destroyed locations, $20,000 for partial destruction, and $15,000 for loss of revenue. Home-based businesses and independent contractors are eligible for $5,000 grants if both revenue and business equipment/inventory were lost, or $2,000 for revenue loss alone. Grant amounts are contingent upon fund availability and applicant prioritization. The highest priority is given to fully destroyed brick-and-mortar businesses and home-based businesses experiencing combined losses. Applications for Phase 1 closed on March 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Applicants will be reviewed and prioritized based on impact severity, with preference given to those with destroyed property and those located in disaster-designated zones. A percentage of the fund is reserved for home-based businesses and independent contractors. If more eligible applicants meet the scoring criteria than available funds, a lottery system will be used. Phase 2 fund announcements are scheduled for the week of April 7th. All selected grantees will receive direct deposit payments. Support services have been robustly deployed to assist applicants. Resources include Disaster Recovery Centers in Altadena and at UCLA, technical assistance hotlines and emails, one-on-one guidance through BusinessSource Centers, and webinars hosted by the county and city agencies. These services help applicants navigate the process, understand requirements, and troubleshoot issues. Although a full list of required documentation is available through FAQs, the application involves submitting verification of damages, proof of business activity and licensing, and confirmation of operating status in designated zones. Applicants needing assistance can contact technical support at (213) 523-3231 or via email at [email protected]. Additional business recovery services are accessible through the Department of Economic Opportunity’s emergency hub. Businesses in LA County may also schedule appointments with the Office of Small Business or reach out to LA City's Economic & Workforce Development Department. Grant notifications and awards follow a structured review and prioritization process, with all applications given equal consideration regardless of submission time prior to the close date. Although the application window for Phase 1 has closed, the recurring nature of this fund suggests a possible reopening in future disaster cycles.